The Federal Government has begun the distribution of 110,000 assorted relief materials to resettled Internally Displaced Persons in Borno.
Hajiya Sadiya Umar-Faruk, the Minister for Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, said this at the inauguration of the distribution exercise on Wednesday in Maiduguri.
The minister, who was represented by Alhaji Bashir Alkali, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, said the gesture was aimed at supporting the IDPs.
Umar-Faruk listed the items to include 75,600 pieces of clothing materials for women, 72,000 pieces of clothing materials for men, 19,200 blankets and 19,200 rubber mats.
“I can assure you that President Muhammadu Buhari is solidly in support of bringing this insurgency to an end and returning the victims back to their lives in dignity.
”This desire is apparent in many projects and programmes that are ongoing for that purpose.
“One of such projects is Mr President’s approval for the purchase of Humanitarian Recovery Needs for the Internally Displaced Person’s (IDPs) in Borno which was provided through the ministry in 2019.”
She said that the relief materials were purchased under the Federal Government’s Special Intervention Fund for the returned refugees from Cameroon, Chad and Niger Republics.
Umar-Faruk said that they had been accommodated across 12 camps in Monguno; Bakassi, Dalori 1, Muna, Bama, Ngala, Dikwa, Gwoza, Pulka, Damboa, Banki, Mafa and Maiduguri.
“While we are making concerted efforts to return these IDPs to their respective places of abode, may I draw your attention to the 2022 Seasonal Climate Prediction (SCP) released by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) on Feb. 15, 2022.
“While we await the Annual Flood Outlook from the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), the ministry hereby advises that the state should take precautionary steps that will mitigate flood in Borno.
“These steps include, but are not limited to directing the State Emergency Management Agency, the State Fire Service, frontline Local Government Authorities, and other response Agencies to be prepared, ” Umar-Faruk said.
Others, the minister said included carrying out public enlightenment campaigns, targeting vulnerable communities to undertake mitigation actions.
According to her, this is to prepare for possible evacuation to safe ground; Identifying high grounds for possible IDPs camps, to shelter evacuated communities.
She explained that other steps included waste, weeds and floats clearance from water channels, drains, and on all avenues for run offs so as to allow free flow of flood waters.
The ministry, she said would also organise State Humanitarian Coordination Forum meetings, to prepare all the stakeholders for mitigation and response after an flood.
”The ministry has taken note of this year’s prediction and is working with stakeholders to mitigate the possible effect of such flooding,” Umar-Faruk stated.
Gov. Babagana Zulum of Borno, represented by his Deputy, Umar Kadafur said the relief items would be distributed judiciously to the IDPs .
“I want to assure the ministry that these relief items are quite appreciated and will be distributed for the purpose intended.
“I want to use this opportunity to thank President Muhammadu Buhari for always coming to the aid of Borno with humanitarian assistance and also have confidence in the Gov. Zulum led- administration,” he said.
Zulum said that thousands of IDPs had been resettled in more than 20 communities across the state.
He said that the state government had also provided ressetlement packages to enable them to rebuild their livelihood and become self-reliant.
